W hen you are remodeling a small kitchen, every detail has the potential to make or break your entire project. Each part of the project, from the overhead lighting to the flooring you choose, changes the entire look and feel of your kitchen. To open up a small space and make the room look larger, you have to put thought into which features you choose for your kitchen.

Make Your Space Seem Larger

The flooring you choose gives you yet another opportunity to make your small space seem larger. Certain flooring materials or décor patterns can create the illusion of a larger space.

Large Tiles

For a tiled kitchen floor, go for larger tiles rather than smaller ones. Small tiles can clutter a small room and make it feel claustrophobic, while larger tiles actually open up the room and make it feel bigger.

Diagonal Placement

When installing tile or any other flooring, you should apply a diagonal placement. The diagonal tiling will elongate the room, and create the illusion that the room is larger than it is.

Planks

For a hardwood look, whether you are using true hardwood or laminate, pick larger plank-type pieces rather than long, thin pieces. Just like the larger tile, the bigger pieces will help open up the room and make it seem bigger.

Patterns

Patterns are a great idea for kitchens, but there are some rules to follow. Stick to larger, chunky patterns rather than small intricate patterns. Just like the tile, the busyness of the small details will draw the room in and make it feel small.

Avoid busy patterns as they will overwhelm a small space. If it fits with the pattern scheme, keep patterns at a diagonal angle.

Play Off The Walls

Create depth and contrast by playing off of the colors of your walls. As a general rule, cooler and neutral colors in your kitchen create a more open looking space. If your walls are painted a light color, create contrast by choosing a darker flooring. If your walls are a dark color, choose a lighter colored flooring.

The contrast of light to dark creates depth and makes the room seem larger. The lighting you choose will also add to this effect.

Let It Flow

If you have an attached dining room or other space that flows into the kitchen, try to use the same flooring throughout. The flow will create clean lines that will make space feel more open.

A hardwood look or tiling with a continuous pattern will help bring the rooms together and flow from one space to the next. Otherwise, a small kitchen can look and feel cut off from the rest of your house, causing it to feel closed off and smaller.

For the small kitchen remodel projects, the flooring you choose can make a huge difference. With the right flooring and placement of tiles or patterns, you can create an optical illusion of a larger space and really open up your small kitchen.